1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data processing and asset control systems. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and systems for tactically managing various airline functions and services to improve airline profitability. Considered functions and services include: safety; passenger/cargo servicing (e.g., ticketing, check in, checked baggage, security, aircraft loading, in-flight meal service, in-flight deplaning, interconnection to subsequent flights, bag sorting and delivery), aircraft servicing (e.g., fuel, lavatories, catering, cleaning, maintenance, deicing, bag/cargo loading), aircraft movement (e.g., pushback or power back, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach, landing, parking) and support services (e.g., operation and maintenance of support vehicles, training, accounting, scheduling, payroll).
2. Description of the Related Art
The need for and advantages of management operation systems that optimize various business processes have long been recognized. Thus, many methods and optimization systems have been developed. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,321,605, 5,369,570, 5,890,133 and 5,953,707.
However, few attempts have apparently been made to apply these methods and systems within the airline industry. The reasons for this situation are complex and varied, but include considerations such as: the complex interdependence of the airlines and their use of shared airport facilities, extensive governmental regulations, and the impact of the uncontrollable schedules of competitor""s aircraft.
Like most businesses, the various airlines are segmented into a number of distinct types of business units or organizational entities. Although most airline processes are interdependent, current business practices within the airline industry promote the management of the individual assets independently by the individual asset managers without regard to an airline""s overall goal of maximized profitability. This has traditionally meant that actions by an individual profit center (e.g., pilot scheduling), although attempting to increase its individual profit picture, often has the effect of reducing an airline""s overall profits, efficiency, effectiveness and product quality (e.g., cancelled flights because there are not enough pilots). There appear to be few current attempts by the various airlines to make real time, tactical trade-offs between their business units that will maximize the airline""s overall operational and business goals.
To better understand these airline processes, FIG. 1 has been provided to indicate the current airline passenger and cargo movement processes, which commence with passenger ticketing, followed by airport arrival, passenger loading, aircraft servicing (e.g., loading of fuel, food, and cargo) and ending after arrival at the terminal gate and delivery of baggage and cargo. It is of interest to note that the core process within the airline industry is the movement of the aircraft. It moves off the gate, then works towards the next gate, only to move off the gate again. Since almost each of the airline""s other processes key off of the movement of aircraft, the core elements of an airline can be thought of as being managed from the center out as depicted in FIG. 2.
Although many airlines currently have in place data on the positions of their assets (e.g. Aircraft Situational Data, ASD and Passive Surveillance System, PASSUR), and the communications (e.g. ARINC Communications Addressing and Reporting System, ACARS) necessary to tactically manage these assets, they apparently lack the necessary business methods to utilize this data and these tools to tactically manage the repositioning and/or the use of the aircraft and other airline assets in the most profitable manner. Instead, current business practices involve the use of much of this data to predict when various aircraft will arrive at the next gate.
Despite the above noted prior art, the need continues to exist for improved methods and systems for managing various airline functions and services to improve airline profitability. The current airline problems and limitations enumerated above are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which tend to impair the effective management of airlines. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate the need for improvements airline business methods.
The present invention is generally directed to satisfying the needs set forth above and overcoming the limitations and problems identified with prior methods for managing various airline functions and services.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing the assets of a user airline, based upon consideration of data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers, the assets of competitor airlines, common shared assets, aircraft positions and the weather, to achieve specified business goals of the user airline, comprises the steps of: (a) collecting and storing this considered data, (b) processing this considered data to predict the trajectories of the user airline assets, along with a smaller set of their competitor""s assets (e.g., aircraft), and the loads that these trajectories will place upon the assets of the user airline and the shared assets, (c) processing this considered data, predicted trajectories and loads to determine the capability of the user airline to meet these loads and needs while achieving user airline specified, business goals, (d) processing this considered data to create alternative, potential scenarios, these scenarios arising as a result of specifiable changes in the predicted trajectories of the user airline assets, wherein these scenarios include calculations for the changes in the loads caused by the changed trajectories, (e) processing and evaluating these alternative, potential scenarios to identify those scenarios which satisfy the asset loads, needs and specified business goals to a predetermined level, and (f) communicating these identified scenarios to user airline assets so that the trajectory changes may be implemented.
In a general sense, this embodiment of the present invention is a business method for tactically managing an airline""s operational assets for transporting passengers, bags and cargo. The method of the present invention involves the continual monitoring of the global, real time status of aircraft (controlled and uncontrolled), along with other airline assets. It then compares the status of such assets with capabilities and needs of the individual assets and the overall airline""s needs, along with the airline""s ability to meet future demands. It then creates multiple alternative scenarios which would result from applying a given set of realistic changes to the current situation (i.e., speed up one aircraft and slow down another to mitigate congestion at an arrival airport; assign an aircraft to gate 35 versus gate 15), and when a scenario is identified which brings the airline""s predicted outcomes substantially closer to the airline""s operational and business goals, instructions are generated and communicated to the airline""s individual asset managers (e.g., pilots, support service schedulers, gate schedulers, etc.) for corrective actions to achieve this scenario.
The present invention employs a novel method of utilizing the user airline""s assets. That is, this novel method of utilizing the user airline""s assets includes a substantially continuous process of monitoring and predicting both the location and time dependent characteristics of the airline assets, and adjusting the trajectory and/or utilization of such assets according to airline capabilities, system capacities and an overriding goal of better meeting the customer""s needs and/or wants, and therefore the user airline""s operational and business goals.
Effectively, the present invention generates the future trajectory of all of the airline""s assets, identifies potential problems areas (e.g., the aircraft trajectory does not properly mesh with the passenger trajectory, gate trajectory or crew trajectory), creates alternative trajectories which better mesh in the future so that the needs and/or wants of the user airline""s customers can be better met, and then provides a method to implement and monitor these new asset trajectory goals.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system, for managing the assets of a user airline which is based upon consideration of data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers, the assets of competitor airlines, common shared assets, aircraft positions and weather in order to achieve the user airline""s specified business goals, comprises: (a) a computer processor means, (b) a storage means for storing data on a storage medium, (c) a first means for initializing the storage medium, (d) a second means for processing the considered data to predict the trajectories of the user airline assets, along with a smaller set of their competitor""s assets (e.g., aircraft), and the loads that these trajectories will place upon the assets of the user airline and the shared assets, (e) a third means for processing the considered data, predicted trajectories and loads to determine the capability of the user airline and shared assets to meet these loads and needs while achieving user airline specified, business goals, (f) a fourth means for processing the considered data to create alternative, potential scenarios, these scenarios arising as a result of specifiable changes in the predicted trajectories of the user airline assets, wherein these scenarios include calculations for the changes in the loads caused by the changed trajectories, and (g) a fifth means for processing and evaluating these alternative, potential scenarios to identify those scenarios which satisfy the asset loads, needs and specified business goals to a predetermined level.
Such a system provides a user airline with the capabilities to:
a) continuously evaluate the current position and operational status of both airline controlled assets and those assets which the airline cannot control, but which impact the airline""s operation,
b) predict the time each asset (controlled and uncontrolled) will reach a predetermined location, and in the case of the airline""s controlled assets compare this to the airline goals and/or needs,
c) compare the predicted unaltered trajectory of assets to the airline""s capabilities and operational and business goals,
d) compare the predicted unaltered trajectory of assets to system capacities (runways, airspace constraints, etc.),
e) analyze alternative scenarios to look for a solution that better meets the operational and business goals of a user airline,
f) display the chosen solution to a system operator who can accept or modify the proposed solution,
g) communicate the new goals to each of the controlled asset operators of the user airline,
h) continuously monitor the system to identify any changes to the system or an action by one of the assets that prevents achievement of a more optimized solution, and
i) measure the airline""s overall performance.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for managing specified airline assets to achieve specified airline business goals so as to overcome the limitations of the prior art described above.
It is another object of the present invention to present a method and system for the tactical management of an airline that takes into consideration a wider array of parameters and factors that heretofore considered. For example, such parameters and factors may include: passenger""s itineraries, aircraft related factors (e.g., speed, fuel, altitude, route, turbulence, winds, weather), ground services (e.g., passenger connections, maintenance, gate availability, passenger loading and deplaning, cargo, bags labor resources available), scheduling (e.g., seats availability, pricing), common asset availability (e.g., runways, airspace, ATC services) and competitors needs for use of the common assets (uncontrolled aircraft requiring access to the common assets).
It is a yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and system that will enable an airline to increase profits and customer satisfaction, while reducing other risks and costsxe2x80x94increased quality, decreased costsxe2x80x94the best of both worlds.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system that will allow an airline to enhance its overall operating efficiency, even at the possible expense of its individual components that may become temporarily less effective. After an airline""s overall operation is optimized, then, as a secondary task, the present invention tries to enhance the efficiency of an airline""s individual components as long as they do not degrade the overall, optimized solution.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and system (process or operating model) that analyzes numerous tactical information and other factors simultaneously, identifies system constraints and problems as early as possible, determines alternative possible trajectory sets, chooses the better of the evaluated asset trajectory sets, implements the new solution, and continuously monitors the outcome.